Introducing #HaqSeHipHop, An Original Content and Concert Series Presented By Rolling Stone India and Qyuki

Indian hip-hop is a force to reckon with. Since the early days of hip-hop’s rise in the country, Rolling Stone India and digital media firm Qyuki have been both supporters and stakeholders in India’s hip-hop ecosystem and with #HaqSeHipHop, we now set out to give the diverse hip-hop voices in the country a definitive mouthpiece they can claim as their own. 

#HaqSeHipHop aims to chronicle and promote the country’s thriving hip-hop scene by means of an audio and video podcast, an inspirational video series, masterclasses and pan-India concerts.

Featuring breakout rappers Naezy and Prabh Deep, producer Sez, hip-hop collectives Swadesi, Dopeadelicz, Khasi Bloodz and more, #HaqSeHipHop is built on four pillars: Bolo, Dekho, Seekho and Hindustan. 

The #HaqSeBolo podcast will feature candid conversation between India’s most influential artists and Rolling Stone India Executive Editor Nirmika Singh. Bolo is India’s first hip-hop audio and video podcast by an editorial platform. 

On the #HaqSeDekho video series, artists share their methods, breakthroughs, hacks and more to inspire and educate both budding and established hip-hop talent. 

Since knowledge-sharing is a significant part of the ethos of hip-hop, the #HaqSeSeekho masterclasses are designed to help budding artists hone their artistic skills. These workshops will be conducted by top artists at the After School of Hip-Hop run by The Dharavi Dream Project (TDDP) – Asia’s largest hip-hop school where over 100 budding artists learn the five elements of the genre (rapping, b-boying, beatboxing, DJing and graffiti). 

The final pillar of #HaqSeHipHop is the #HaqSeHindustan Concert, a multi-city gig series featuring artists from all parts of the country – the north, south, west, east and north-east. Watch the video below to hear the #HaqSeHipHop anthem and see the pillars come to life visually.

At Rolling Stone India, we’ve consistently employed our platform to promote hip-hop talent and report every development in the scene – from its nascency to its rise to its glory – long before the genre had its breakout moment in the mainstream. We were the first to feature emerging hip-hop talent on our cover in 2016 which saw rappers Mumbai’s Finest, Divine, Naezy, Stony Psyko and MC Bobkat and more share their origin stories and hip-hop journey, followed by another spotlight cover in 2019 featuring Divine and Naezy. 

Says Singh, “Hip-hop as a genre has the unique power to empower and entertain. We are at the cusp of a music revolution in India and its biggest impact is currently being witnessed in hip-hop. As curators of pop-culture, we want to tell as many compelling stories as possible – via podcasts, gigs and masterclasses. Our partnership with Qyuki on #HaqSeHipHop aims to honor the hard work, hustle and hope in hip-hop.”

Qyuki’s contribution in nurturing Indian hip-hop talent too has been unparalleled. They co-founded TDDP with Universal Music Group and the non-profit has been committed to nurturing hip-hop talent and promoting music and arts through Asia’s largest hip-hop institution where under-resourced artists learn the elements of hip-hop.  

Samir Bangara, Co-Founder & MD of Qyuki, says, “With #HaqSeHipHop, we want to nurture the incredible diversity in the genre from across the country. To preserve the true spirit of expression as a birthright, we conceived ‘Haq Se’ (by right) which specifically promotes independent hip-hop talent.”

He adds, “The truth is hip-hop isn’t static and doesn’t belong to any one group of people or singular expression. Since the birth of the genre in the late Seventies, its form and meaning have always been challenged and redefined by artists.”

Follow @HaqSeHipHop on Instagram to keep up with the movement.